Al Franken cries on Senate floor [VIDEO]

Franken broke down while recalling the Wellstones' work on behalf of abused women.

Al Franken got emotional on the Senate floor today while speaking on behalf of reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act.

Franken broke down while recalling the late Sheila Wellstone's vision of an America where women who are fleeing domestic violence don't have to worry about becoming homeless.

Speaking of the Wellstones' life in public service, Franken said: "It's about helping others. It's about giving a voice to those who otherwise might go unheard. It's about making the law more just and more fair."

Sheila's "legacy is with us, and her words are with us," Franken added, noting her work at domestic violence shelters.

Here's the video:

And here's a transcript of Franken's remarks:

Once a woman becomes homeless, she becomes even more vulnerable to physical or sexual abuse. In my state, nearly one in three homeless women is fleeing domestic violence, and half of those women have children with them...

That's not the world Sheila Wellstone envisioned. Nobody should have to choose between safety and shelter.

While the link between violence and homelessness is undeniable, it is not unbreakable. We need shelters and transitional housing programs for women who are fleeing danger. The [Violence Against Women Act] reauthorization provides continued support for those programs.

According to Politico, earlier today, the GOP's Senate leadership held a news conference announcing that their 47-member caucus wouldn't filibuster renewal of the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, although some Republicans wanted to water down new Democratic provisions in the bill that would cover same-sex couples, undocumented immigrants, and Native American women.

Said Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky: "We're all in favor of the Violence Against Women Act ... there's nothing to fight about."

I think my favorite visit with Paul Wellstone was an event held at a shelter in Minneapolis.The Senator was asked some questions about the difficulties that women who are separated but not yet legally divorced from their husbands have in getting bank accounts, credit cards, loans and access to legal documents such as the birth certificates of their children. Paul stopped the questions and said "I need to get Sheila over here. She knows much more about this than I do." And she did (with Paul asking questions about parts he admitted he didn't understand or hadn't heard of). It was just such a wonderful example of the love and respect Paul and Sheila Wellstone had for each other (as well as uncommon humility for an elected official). They are so badly missed.

Hey Nat -- good catch. I transcribed Franken's remarks myself and got that word wrong, obviously. I've gone back and fixed it. I assure you it wasn't part of a lefty-media conspiracy to make Minnesota's junior Senator seem like a better orator than he really is.

and only 15 of 47 republicans voted for it.From my reading comprehension, the quote above states that Democratic provisions wanted to extend protections to same sex couples, undocumented immigrants, and Native American women, and Republicans wanted to water that down...I honestly don't care if I'm wrong here, but tell me where that is, if it is the case.

...no. They are assuming that these women are also women, and therefor they count when considering the rights of women, equally. As opposed to the republican mantra of "illegal immigrants and gay people should get no rights at all" or at least unequal rights.

Democrats are assuming immigrant, gay, and native women are somehow more or less of a woman than others. Why not just give everyone equal treatment and extend to all women? It would seem R's are right to "water it down".